Strip material feeding and cutting-off apparatus



Aug. 2, 1966 J. D. LANGWELL STRIP MATERIAL FEEDING AND CUTTING-OFFAPPARATUS Filed Jan. 13, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY Aug. 2, 1966 J.D. LANGWELL STRIP MATERIAL FEEDING AND CUTTING-OFF APPARATUS Filed Jan.L3, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY 2, 966 J. D. LANGWELL 3,263,542

STRIP MATERIAL FEEDING AND CUTTING-OFF APPARATUS Filed Jan. 1.3, 1965 6Sheets-Sheet 5 I NVEN TOR JOHN .0.

M/VGWELL,

ATTORNEY J. D- LANGWELL Aug. 2, 1966 STRIP MATERIAL FEEDING ANDCUTTING-OFF APPARATUS Filed Jan. L3, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR JOHN0.

km k llll LH/YGIVEAL) [rllll ATTORNEY Aug. 2, 1966 J. D. LANGWELL STRIPMATERIAL FEEDING AND CUTTING-OFF APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Jan.

United States Patent 3,263,542 STRIP MATERIAL FEEDING AND CUTTING-OFFAPPARATUS John D. Langwell, Freeport, N.Y., assignor to Waldes Kohinoor,Inc., Long Island City, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Jan. 13,1965, Ser. No. 425,217 9 Claims. (Cl. 83-241) This invention relates toimprovements in strip material feeding and cutting-off apparatus, andmore particularly to apparatus for intermittently feedingindeterminate-length, continuous strips of gapped strip material,through the use of the gaps in said material, to the action of areciprocating punch-type cutting-off means and for actuating saidcutting-off means in timed relation to the continuous strip feedingthereto so that, in the intervals beween feed steps, it successivelysevers from said strip predetermined lengths thereof as said lengthsfeed to a position just in advance of said cutting-off means,

Although usable in any and all applications to which it is or may befound to be suited, the apparatus of the invention was designed for andhas proved highly effective in cutting off measured lengths of slidefastener or zipper chain with trouser-fly strips assembled thereto,known in the art as trouseror pants-fly closure units, from long lengthsof continuous zipper chain which has been gapped so as to provideelement-free short lengths of zipper tapes between successive longerelement-studded lengths of the tapes which ultimately provide theindividual zipper components of said closure units and to which theslider bottom stops have been applied to one end of each of saidelement-studded lengths, and which further have sewn thereto twocontinuous tapes which ultimately provide the fly-piece components ofsaid closure units. For further details as to the nature and manner ofproduction of the continuous gapped zipper chain with continuous flystrip tapes assembled thereto which constitutes the continuous stripmaterial for the feeding and cutting off of measured lengths of whichthe apparatus of the present invention was designed, reference is had tocopending application of George Waldes Serial No. 403,073, filed October12, 1964, entitled, Art of Producing Trouser-Fly Closure Units, whichwith the present invention is commonly owned.

Stated broadly, it is an object of the present invention to providepractical, effective and thoroughly dependable apparatus for cutting offa succession of individual trouser-fly closure units of desired lengthfrom a long length of continuous gapped zipper chain having continuousflystrip tapes assembled thereto.

More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to providefully automatic and cyclically operable apparatus for positively feedinga succession of measured trouser-fly closure unit lengths of continuousgapped zipper chain with continuous plural fly-strip tapes properlyassembled thereto, by means including the gaps in said zipper chain, toa reciprocating cut-off punch which on each working stroke thereof cutsoff the measured length of said zipper chain and tape assembly which hasjust previously been advanced to a cut-off position, i.e. a positionjust forwardly of said punch.

A further object of the invention is the provision of apparatus asaforesaid characterized by a chain and plural tape feeding means of atype which operates through the gaps provided between successiveelement-studded lengths of the zipper chain.

Another object of the invention is the provision of chain and tapefeeding means as above which incorporates simple and highly effectivemeans for adjusting the increment of chain and tape feed to that desiredfor a particular run 3,263,542 Patented August 2, 1966 of trouser-flyclosure units to be produced at any given time.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of apparatus asaforesaid and which further incorporates both highly practical manualmachine start and stop means and automatic stop means, the latter beingoperative to stop the apparatus when the supply of the continuous Zipperchain and fly-strip tape assembly to be cut into individual trouser-flyclosure unit lengths runs out.

The above and other objects and features of advantage of strip materialfeeding and cutting-off apparatus according to the invention will appearfrom or be obvious from the following description thereof, in whichreference is had to the accompanying drawings illustrative of saidapparatus as it has been embodied in commercial form, in which:

FIG. 1 is a broken-away side elevation of the apparatus of the inventionas viewed from the drive means side thereof, the view illustrating thestrip material feeding means in an intermediate position through whichit moves in advancing from left to right in said view;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, withadditional parts thereof only fragmentarily shown in FIG. 1 beingillustrated;

FIG. 3 is a broken-away, part-sectional and side elevation of theapparatus taken from the side thereof opposite that shown in FIG. 1,i.e. the sprocket chain and carriage side;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the apparatus taken from the right end of FIG.3, with some parts broken away and/ or shown in section;

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are fragmentary views which illustrate details of thecarriage and of the releasable driving connection between the sprocketchain and said carriage, which parts constitute essential elements ofthe strip material feeding means of the apparatus shown in the precedingview;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are fragmentary views of the endless sprocket chain whichillustrate a form of attachment thereon functioning to actuate thecarriage component of the feeding means throughout its working stroke;

FIG. 10 is a detail view similar to FIG. 8 but which illustrates theform of an additional attachment on the aforesaid sprocket chain servingto control the actuation of the cutting-off punch;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary part-sectional view illustrating details of thestrip material (continuous zipper chain and plural continuous fly-striptapes assembled thereto) guiding and hold-down means;

FIG. 12 is a section taken generally along line 12-12 of FIG. 11; and

FIGS. 13 and 14 are fragmentary plan and side elevational views of thestrip material feeding means, which illustrate details of the means foradjusting the length of the working stroke of the reciprocating carriageand feed finger of the strip material feeding means and thereby thelength that the strip material is advanced with each stroke of the feedfinger.

As previously indicated, strip material feeding and cutting-offapparatus of the invention, while not limited thereto, was designed toaccept as its starting material to be cut into individual trouserorpants-fly closure unit lengths, a long length of continuous gapped slidefastener or zipper chain having plural continuous fly strip tapesassembled and secured thereto in the manner disclosed and claimed in theaforesaid George Waldes application Serial No. 403,073. By gapped slidefastener or zipper chain as usedherein is meant continuous zipper chainconsisting of two long lengths of coupled zipper stringers, i.e. fabrictapes carrying along adjacent edges initially unbroken rows ofoppositely disposed interlocking fastener elements and which are securedtogether by the coupling action of said elements, from which a smallnumber of the fastener elements are removed at a succession ofshort-length intervals of the chain disposed between individual z ipperlengths of chain proper, the removal of elements which results ingapping" of the chain being for the purpose of providing element-freetape extensions at the end of each individual zipper length of chainwhich facilitate the sewing of the zipper ends to the trouser waistbandand crotch, in the case of the individual zipper lengths being used as acomponent of a trouseror pants-fly closure. Preferably also, the bottomstops which serve to prevent the sliders of the final zippers fromrunning off the bottom ends thereof have already been applied to thegapped chain and fly-strip tape assembly going to the herein apparatusand, as will hereinafter appear, the gapped zipper chain and fly-striptapes assembled thereto advancing to said apparatus will have beenturned about the longitudinal center line thereof so that the normallyunder or back side of the zipper chain faces upwardly and will furtherhave been disposed end-toend so that the aforesaid bottom stops aredisposed at the rearward or trailing end of each of the individualzipper lengths making up the gapped continuous zipper chain-fly striptape assembly feeding to the apparatus. With the chain so positioned, abottom stop will be disposed at the forward end of each chain gap; andthus the bottom stops are capable of providing an abutment surface for ablade-like feed finger insertible into the gaps.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION With the above brief statement of the nature andphysical characteristics of the strip material for which the hereinapparatus was designed to work upon and which contribute to the properfunctioning of said apparatus as intended, there is first given ageneral description of said apparatus in terms of' the principalphysical means or mechanisms making up the same. More particularly, theapparatus of the invention incorporates:

(a) guide and hold-down means capable of accepting strip material in theform of continuous gapped zipper chain and plural continuous fly-striptapes assembled thereto and of guiding said assembly along astraight-line path of movement, said means also serving to hold thecontinuous fly strip tapes which normally assume positions in which theyrespectively overlie and underlie the zipper chain in positions in whichthey extend laterally thereof;

(b) punch-type cutting-off means disposed astride the path of movementof said chain and tapes assembled thereto;

means for advancing (feeding) the zipper chain and fly-strip tapeassembly along said path with a step-bystep motion and in measuredlengths or increments corresponding to the length of the individualtrouser-fly clo sure units then being produced, past said cut-off means,said advancing or feeding means being of a type depending on theabove-described gapping of the zipper chain for its operation; and

(d) means for driving both said feeding means and said punch-typecutting-off means in properly timed relation, i.e. so that the lattermeans will sever the most forward length of zipper chain and fly striptape assembly which has just previously been fed past the same, duringthe interval between each two successive increment-s of feed motionimparted to said chain and tape assembly.

Illustratively, all of the aforesaid means are mounted on or enclosedwithin a generally rectangular cabinet-type stand adapted to besupported on a building floor. More particularly, the guide andhold-down means are mounted to the upper side of the top plate of thestand, thus to be readily available to the continuous zipper chain andplural fly strip tape assembly moving to the top plate in continuousstrip form. The punch type cutting-off means is mounted from said topplate so that it operates through same, and the feeding and cutting-offdrive means and their related mechanisms for properly timing theirrespective operations are enclosed within the housing. Manual controlmeans for starting and stopping the operation of said drive means andthereby of said apparatus as a whole are provided. Upon the apparatusbeing placed in operation, it continues to operate in successive cyclesuntil manually stopped or until the supply of the continuous zipperchain and plural tape assembly runs out, in which latter event operationof the apparatus is stopped automatically. Said manual control andautomatic stop means will be more specifically described under thecaption Control Means.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The guide and hold-down means The stand 10 on orwithin which the aforesaid major means or mechanisms of the apparatus ofthe invention are mounted illustratively comprises a rounded-cornerrectangular top plate 11 secured at its corners as by screws to fourcorner legs 12a-l2d inclusive, which in turn are fastened to a baseplate 13 which is supported on but above the floor by vibration mounts14. Cover plates 15a-15a' (FIG. 2) may be fastened to said corner legsand serve to fully enclose the stand on all four sides.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 11 and 12, the aforesaid con tinuous zipperchain-fly strip tape assembly guide and hold-down means illustrativelycomprises an elongated chain-guide strip 16 and disposed above same andcoacting therewith two elongate chain hold-down bars 17 and 18 disposedon edge and being laterally spaced from one another by a spacer element19 (FIG. 2), whereby said bars define an elongate slot 20 whose functionwill be explained hereinafter. Said guide strip 16 is secured flushagainst the upper face of the top plate 11 (as by screws not shown) inposition such that it coincides substantially with the longitudinalcenter line of said top plate and its length is such that it extendsfrom the strip feed-in edge of the top plate about two-thirds across thelatter. The hold-down bars 17 and 18 have length generally correspondingto that of the guide strip 16 but, rather than being fixed, are mountedfor raising and lowering movement, it being understood that when raisedthey are in an inactive position and that when lowered they are in theirworking or hold-down position, in which latter they are shown in FIGS.11 and 12.

More particularly, said hold-down bars adjacent the feed-in end of thetop plate are pivotally connected at their relatively rearward (feed-in)ends to a pair of depending, parallel bracket arms 22, 23, whose upperends are fast on rock shafts 24, 25, respectively, extending laterallyfrom and journaled for rocking motion in a mounting block 26 affixed tothe upper surface of the top plate 10 to one side of the guide strip 16.A spring 27 encircling the rock shaft 24 exerts clockwise (FIG. 2)turning pressure on the bracket arm 22 (and accordingly on both saidbracket arms) and thereby downward pressure on the hold-down bars 17,18, which is sufficient as to keep the zipper chain component ZC (FIGS.11 and 12) of the zipper chain and fly strip tape assembly constitutingthe strip material being worked upon and which, according to theintended operation of the apparatus, runs along the top of the guidestrip 16 in proper position thereon. A ball-type handle 28 affixed tosaid bracket arm 22 enables the operator to manually swing said bracketarm, and thereby both said bracket arms 22 and 23 since they areconstrained to move in unison, in counterclockwise direction as effectsraising of the hold-down bars, when it is desired to insert an end ofthe zipper chain to he moved along the guide strip between said guidestrip and said hold-down bars.

As also seen in FIGS. 11 and 12, the guide strip 16 is provided in itsupper face with an upwardly open channel 16a having width substantiallyequal to the width of two oppositely disposed coupled fastener elementsFE of the two rows thereof connected to the fabric Zipper tapes ZT andZT and which with said tapes make up the aforesaid zipper component ofthe zipper-chain fly tape assembly, and depth slightly less thanone-half of the vertical thickness of said fastener elements. Adownwardly opening complemental channel 1611 may be simply provided bycutting away the bottom inside corners of the hold-down bars 17, 18 asat 17a, 18a to a depth and width corresponding to that of the depth andwidth of the guide strip channel 16a. Thus there is provided between theguide strip and hold-down bars an elongated guideway closely fitted totwo rows of the coupled fastener elements FE of the zipper chain servingto guide the latter along a fixed path of movement. It is to be noted,however, that the bottom edges of the hold-down bars 17, 18 are spaced asmall distance from the upper surfaces of the guide strip 16, thereby toprovide slit-opening side openings extending laterally from saidguideway for the accommodation of the zipper tapes ZT and 2T Also to benoted at this point of the description is that the aforesaid slot 20provided by the lateral spacing of the hold-down bars 17, 18 opens intosaid elongated guideway through the top side thereof. Preferably also,and as best seen in FIG. 12, the outer bottom corners of the hold-downbars 17, 18

are cut away, thereby to provide added space for the g accommodation ofthe continuous fly-strip tapes FT and FT assembled to the zipper chaintapes ZT and ZT according to the aforesaid George Waldes applicationSerial No. 403,073, when the latter tapes are folded laterally outwardlyfrom their normal positions to their respective positions shown in FIG.12, which latter positions they occupy during the cutting-off operation.

THE CUTTING-OFF MEANS The aforesaid cutting-off means comprises astandard press generally designated mounted to the stand 10 in an upsidedown position. More particularly, the press frame 31 is secured upsidedown to the under face of the top plate 11 as by corner bolts 32(FIG. 1) in a position such that its cutting-off anvil 33, which iscarried by the reciprocating ram 34 of the press and which uponreciprocation of the ram moves upwardly through an anvil guide 35' setinto an opening provided therefor in said top plate (FIG. 4), isdisposed transversely to the path of feed motion of the strip material,i.e. zipper chain and fly strip tape assembly, moving along the guidestrip 16. The reciprocating anvil is adapted to move against a fixedcutting-off blade 36, illustratively a so-called pinking blade, which isdisposed above the top plate and, like the anvil 33, transversely of thefeed path of said strip material. Illustratively, said cutting-off bladeis mounted in a blade-mounting bracket 37 which, together with its coverplate 38, is secured to the top plate 11 by tie rods 39, 39a, which alsorigidly connect said blade-mounting bracket with the press frame 31disposed beneath the top plate. As best seen in FIG. 1, the anvil 33 andits associated cutting-off blade 36 are disposed relatively forwardly ofthe guide strip 16 and hold-down bars 17 and 18, and thus the cuttinganvil may partake of its reciprocating motion without interference fromsaid guide strip or hold-down bars.

THE STRIP MATERIAL FEEDING MEANS The strip material (continuous zipperchain and fiy strip tape assembly) feed mean-s in the first instancecomprises a reciprocatory, vertically disposed, blade-like finger 42spring-biased to a position in which its free working end moves into thegaps designated 6 (FIG. 11) of the aforesaid zipper chain component ZC,it being understood that one such gap is disposed between each twoindividual-length but still connected trouser-fly lengths of chainmaking up said zipper chain component, and means associated with saidfinger for actuating same in direction and in amount required to advancethe zipper chain (and of course the fly strip tapes FT and FT assembledthereto) a distance corresponding to the length of the trouser-flyclosure units being produced, as results in the working end of thereciprocating finger, as the latter is actuated throughout its workingstroke, moving against the trailing end, i.e. bottom end, of eachtrouser-fly length of zipper chain and pushing the same, and thereby theentire chain-tape assembly, forwardly a predetermined distance asaforesaid. To insure good engagement of the working end of the feedfinger 42 of the zipper bottom end, the gapped zipper chain moving tothe apparatus will preferably have the bottom stops BS, conventionallyapplied to the bottom ends of most zippers for the purpose of preventingunintentional removal of the slider therefrom, already applied theretoin a preliminary operation, again as disclosed and claimed in theaforesaid George Waldes application Serial No. 403,073.

More particularly, and referring to FIGS. 1, l3 and 14, the feed finger42 is dependently carried by a bracket 43 affixed to a shaft 44 whichextends laterally from a vertically extension bracket 45 mounted on areciprocatory carriage generally designated 46 disposed below the topplate 11 (and thus within the stand 10) and which is slidable on a pairof horizontal, laterally spaced slide rods 47, 48 supported at theirends in slide-rod mounting blocks 49, 49A and 5%, 50A afiixed to theunder side of the top plate 11. As best seen in FIGS. 4- and 7, saidextension bracket 45 extends upwardly from the carriage 46 through aslot-like opening 45a provided therefor in said top plate.

A coil spring 51 (FIG. 13) encircling the shaft 44 imposes a downwardbias on the working end of the feed finger 42, which insures both thatsaid working end will find its way into any gap G of the Zipper chaindisposed below the same and that it will ride over the coupled fastenerelements of the next following length of gapped continuous chain whenthe carriage 46, and hence the extension bracket 45, shaft 44 and saidfeed finger, together partake of their return or retracting movement, inresponse to means to be described. At this point of the description, itis explained that the feed finger 42 extends to the zipper elementguideway provided by the aforesaid complementary channels 16:! and 16bthrough the aforesaid slot 20 provided between the hold-down bars 17 and18. Thus, while the slot will be formed wide enough to permit the feedfinger to operate therethrough freely as intended, said hold-down barsinsure against any uncontrolled lateral movement of the feed finger asit partakes of its back-and-forth movement with the carriage 46.

Means such as the stop pins 54, 54a projecting towards one another fromthe slide-rod mounting blocks 49, 49a serve as back and front stops forthe carriage 46 and thus determine the extreme limits of its travel inboth directions and thereby the maximum amount or increment that thezipper chain ZC and fiy-strip tapes assembled thereto can be advancedwith each feed stroke of the finger 42. However, additional back-stopmeans of an adjustable nature are provided, such illustrativelycomprising an adjustable-position back-stop pin 56 disposed in the pathof rearward movement of the feed-finger mounting shaft 44, and which iscarried by an adjustable-position two-piece bracket 57, the two piecesof which, as best seen in FIG. 13, are screwed together and clamped by ascrew 58 to an elongated back-stop slide plate 59 extending between andsecured at its ends to the aforesaid mounting block 26 and the cuttingblade mounting bracket 37, respectively. The bracket 57 is also providedinwardly thereof with a pointed projection 60 which is adapted to seatin any one of a plurality of holes 61 drilled or otherwise provided inthe associated edge of the slide plate 59. Thus, the back-stop bracket57 may be secured in any desired position along the length portion ofthe slide plate edge provided with said holes 61, by seating theprojection 60 in a selected one of said holes and then tightening thebracket screw 58. The bracket-carried and hence adjustable-positionback-stop pin 56 then takes over the function of the fixed hack-stop pin54 in determining the most rearward position of the feed finger 42 andthereby the length of stroke of said finger and in turn the incrementthat the zipper chain and fly-strip tape assembly is fed forwardly bysaid finger on each of its working strokes.

Further adjusting means enabling the adjustment of the lines of cutalong the length of the gaps G of the zipper chain and thereby of thelength of the element-free tape extensions at the ends of the individualzipper chain lengths being severed from the continuous zipper chain arepreferably provided. For this purpose, the opening 43a in thefeed-finger or blade-mounting bracket 43 through which the aforesaidfeed finger-mounting shaft 44 extends is elongated horizontally (FIG.14) as permits said bracket to be shifted a small distance backwardly orforwardly along said opening. To locate and lock the bracket 43 in adesired adjusted position, oppositely disposed set screws 62, 620, whoseinner ends extend into the ends of said opening 43a and are adapted tobe screwed tight against said shaft 44, are provided.

The means for advancing (and of course retracting) the feed finger 42includes the aforesaid reciprocatory carriage 42, since motion of thevertical extension bracket 45 and of the finger-mounting shaft 44carried by said bracket is derived from that of the carriage. Accordingto the invention, said carriage which, as explained in the foregoing ismounted to slide on the slide rods 47, 48 (on ball bushings 47a, 48a,FIG. 6) is positively driven throughout its forward or zipper-chainadvancing stroke by means of a powered endless sprocket chain 64 runningin a triangular path over two horizontally disposed idler sprockets 65,66 mounted intermediate the aforesaid sliderod mounting blocks 49, 49A,50 50A, and an intermediate lower-level drive sprocket 67, via areleasable driving connection to be described in detail which the chainmakes with said carriage at spaced time intervals through its endlesspath of travel. Upon release of said driving connection, the carriage isthen driven on its return (back) stroke by a spring-biased arm 74 which,as will be described, is itself moved to an energy-storing position bythe carriage responsive to its forward movement as aforesaid, and whichupon release or deactivation of said driving connection releases itsenergy to drive the carriage throughout its backward stroke.

Referring to FIGS. 9 inclusive, intended to illustrate the aforesaidreleasable driving connection between the endless sprocket chain 64 andthe carriage 46, it is first to be noted that the carriageillustratively comprises a bottom plate 68 mounting forward and rearwardpairs of laterally spaced apertured ears 69, 69a and 70, 70a throughwhich the slide rods pass, the carriage thus defining a generallyupwardly opening channel in transverse section, and that the channelthus provides a runway for said sprocket chain. As best seen in FIGS.6-8, the releasable driving connection illustratively compriseslaterally outwardly projecting chain attachments 71a, 71b, eachconsisting of a pair of vertically spaced ears e 2 with rollers r and rmounted on vertical pintles extending between the ears of the pairs, andspring-backed ball plungers 72a, 72b mounted on the forward pair ofcarriage cars 69, 69a in position as to extend into the path of saidrollers r r of the sprocket-chain attachments which, with the sprocketchain, move through the channel defined by the carriage 46, and to beabutted by said rollers r and r This arrangement provides, in the firstinstance, that upon the chain attachments 71a, 71b in their movementthrough the carriage channel first abutting the springbacked ballplungers 72a, 721), said attachments and plungers coact to provide adriving connection between the chain and carriage, and that upon thecarriage having been moved by and along with the chain to a forwardposition in which it engages against and is held against further forwardmovement by the aforesaid front-stop pin(s) 54a, the chain attachmentsovercome the force of the springs backing the ball plungers 72a, 72b andthereby deactivate and render ineffective the driving connection betweenchain and carriage which existed up to this point of chain travel.Thereupon the chain moves freely through the carriage and the latter isnow free to partake of its rearward travel under the action of theaforesaid spring-energized arm 74.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 in particular, said arm 74 illustrativelyconsists of a rod having an elongated vertical portion 740, a lowerhorizontal mounting and pivot end 741) which, as best seen in FIG. 4, isjournaled in spaced pillow blocks 75 and 75a affixed to the base plate13 of stand 10, and an upper horizontal crank end 740 which is disposedat a level somewhat below that of the aforesaid carriage 46, so as to beengageable by a pin 76 affixed to and depending from the under side ofthe carriage. Illusrtratively, a coil spring 77 is connected at its endsto said vertical-rod portion 74a of said arm and to a leg on the stand,respectively, so as to be stretched as the arm is swung clockwise(FIG. 1) and counterclockwise (FIG. 3) responsive to the forward travelof said carriage. However, upon release of the releasable drivingconnection between the carriage and sprocket chain 64 as explainedabove, the arm 74 is positively swung to its normal position by theenergy stored in the spring 77 by the stretching thereof, and in sodoing actuates the carriage throughout its return or retracting stroke.

Generally speaking, while the number of the chain attachments 71a, 71bper chain will vary with the length of the chain, two sets ofattachments, equally spaced from one another, are provided along thelength of the aforesaid chain 64. Thus, for each complete cycle ofsprocket chain travel, the carriage 46 is driven throughout two workingand return strokes, as in turn results in the continuous zipper chain ZCand fly strip tapes FT and FT assembled thereto being given two feedsteps or increments by the feed finger 42.

THE DRIVING MEANS Referring to FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, a motor M (or otherconvenient power source) drives a main drive pulley 85, which latterdrives through a belt 86 both a flywheel 87 adapted to drive both thecrank shaft 88 of the cutting-off press 30 through a normally disengagedclutch generally indicated at 89, and a pulley 90 associated with theflywheel which in turn drives a clutch pulley 91 disposed upwardlythereof via a belt 92. The clutch pulley 91 is press-fitted to a bushing93 which rotates on a shaft 94, the bushing being held in place axiallyon said shaft between a bushing 96 fixed to said shaft by a pin 97 and asuitable retaining means 98 on the outer (right) end, FIG. 4, of saidshaft. A spring 99 is tightly wound on the so axially related bushings93, 96 in manner such that said bushings and spring together form a wellknown type of spring clutch serving to transmit drive from drive pulley85 to the shaft 94 via belt 86, flywheel 87, pulley 90, belt 92 andpulley 91. As will be later explained, said clutch combination 93, 96and 99 is of the normally engaged type, but its engagement iscontrollable by the operator.

As best seen in FIG. 4, the aforesaid shaft 94 extends through theuprights of the press frame 31, being supported in ball-bearing pillowblocks 101, 102 afiixed to the outer sides of said uprights. At its endopposite that mounting the clutch pulley 91, the shaft 94 fixedly mountsthe aforesaid drive sprocket 67 for the sprocket chain 64 which drivesthe carriage 46 as aforesaid. Thus, assuming engagement of the clutchcombination 93, 96, 99, the sprocket chain is continuously driven fromthe drive pulley 85.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, the clutch 89 which transmits drive tothe press crank shaft 88 is normally held disengaged by a lock-out pawl104 whose working end abuts the step or shoulder 105 of a trip cam 106fast on the driving element of said clutch. Means are provided fordeactivating, i.e. releasing, said locking pawl and thereby energizingthe clutch 89, as results in the crank shaft 88 of the press 30 beingdriven throughout a full 360 turn and accordingly in the press ram 34and its cuttingoff anvil 33 being positively actuated throughout onecomplete cycle of motion, responsive to travel of the sprocket chain 64.More particularly, such means illustratively comprises a bracket plate108 affixed to an upright of the press frame which is disposed adjacentthe clutch 89, to which the lock-out pawl 104 is pivotally connected forswinging movement by an upper-end pivot 109. Said bracket 108 alsoprovides anchorage for two tie rods 11%, 11012 extending transverselytowards the chain side of the apparatus and which provide a mounting forthe spaced pillow blocks 112a, 1121) in turn providing bearing for atransversely disposed rock shaft 113.

At its clutch end, said rock shaft rigidly mounts a secondary, i.e.driven, release lever 114 having generally upright disposition, and alink 115 is pivotally connected .to and extends between the upper end ofsaid lever and the lower end of said lock-out pawl 104. A spring 116operative between said lever 114 and the bracket plate 108 serves tobias said lever in clockwise direction (FIG. 1), as results in saidlock-out pawl 104 being normally biased into engagement with the step105 of the trip earn 106.

At its other or chain end, said rock shaft 113 rigidly mounts a primary(driving) release lever 118 which, by reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 inparticular, is vertically dis posed, is contained in the working planeof the endless sprocket chain 64 and is moreover of length such that itsupper end is disposed just beneath the lowermost line of motion of saidchain as it runs under the chain drivesprocket 6-7.

To enable chain actuation of the lock-out pawl releasing means, thesprocket chain is provided with a pair of chain attachments 120a, 1201)which compare generally with the aforesaid attachments 71a, 71b butwhich, as is best seen in FIG. 10, extend vertical-1y outwardly fromsaid chain, rather than later-ally outwardly, as did the attachments71a, 7112. Thus, as the chain moves throughout its course of travel, theattachments 120a, 1211b will at two spaced times during such travelstrike the upper end of the primary release lever 118 and thereby rockthe shaft 113 and as in turn swings the secondary release lever 114 incounterclockwise direction (FIG. 1). Such results in pull being exertedon the link 115 in direction as to disengage the locking pawl 104 fromthe step 105 of the trip cam 106. Thereupon, the clutch 89 automaticallyengages and the press crank shaft 88 is driven for one completerevolution, following which the locking pawl, acting under the bias ofspring 116, again locks out said clutch by its repeat engagement withsaid step 105 of the trip cam.

While it is stated in the foregoing that the chain attachments 120a, 12%are two in number, it should be understood that such follows from thefact that the number of said attachments corresponds to the number ofthe horizontally projecting attachments 71a, 7117; that is to say, thenumber of the chain attachments 120a, 1201) is always the same as thenumber of the chain attachments 71a, 71b. Also to be noted andunderstood is that the attachments 1200, 120b trail the attachments 71a,711), respectively, by equal lengths of sprocket chain which are such asto properly time the actuation of the cutting-off punch to occur duringthe interval that the carriage 46 is moving on its backward stroke,during which interval the zipper chain and fly-strip tape assembly,after having been fed forwardly a distance corresponding to the lengthof the closure units, is being held stationary with respect to the topplate 11 by the action of the aforesaid holddown bars 17, 18. At thispoint in the description, reference is also had to the fact that witheach stroke of the carriage-propelled feed finger 42, the chain and tapeassembly is advanced to a position that the predetermined 19 lengththereof to be severed is disposed forwardly of the cutting-off blade 36of the press, and since said press is disposed relatively forwardly ofthe guide strip 16 and hold-down bars 17 and 18, forwardly of saidlatter parts, unimpeded operation of the press is achieved.

THE CONTROL MEANS Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 in particular, manualcontrol means for initiating and stopping the operation of the hereinapparatus are provided, such illustratively comprising a verticallydisposed rod 124 extending between the top and base plates 11, 13 of thestand 10 and being mounted for turning movement therein. The upper endof said rod projects through the top plate 11 and mounts a ball handle125 which normally rests in a stop position against an upwardlyprojecting pin 126 set into said top plate, but it may be moved to astart position in which it rests against a similarly mounted pin 127. Inits intermediate length portion, the rod 124 mounts a laterallyprojecting pin 128 serving as a lock-out pin for the aforesaid clutchcombination 93, 96 and 99. That is to say, in the stop position of theball handle 125, said lock-out pin 128 is disposed beneath a tangentialextension 99a of the clutch spring thereby to hold the latter in aposition such that it exercises no clutch-engaging function on thedriving bushing 93, and thus said bushing turns freely on the drivingshaft 94. However, when the ball handle is turned 90 in direction as torest against the pin 127, the clutch lock-out pin 128 is turned in itsplane to a position in which it clears the spring extension 99a,whereupon the spring 99 operates to effect engagement of said clutchbushings 93, 96, and drive is transmitted to the chain-driving sprocket67 via the shaft 94. Conversely, turning of the ball handle in thereverse direction against the stop pin 126 returns the clutch lock-outpin 12 8 to a position beneath the clutch spring extension 99a, asresults in disengagement of the said clutch.

In addition to the aforesaid manual control, there is provided asupervisory control serving not only to deactivate the machine in theevent the supply of zipper chain and fly-strip tape assembly runs outbut also to prevent starting of the machine should there be no supply ofzipper chain and tape assembly available to the machine. Again referringto FIGS. 1 and 2, such means illustratively comprises a collar-form disc130 affixed to the lower end of the vertical control rod 124 and towhich is affixed a biasing spring 131 serving, in the first instance,normally to position the ball handle 125 against the stop pin 126. Saiddisc is provided in its peripheral surface with a V-notch 130a adaptedto receive the pointed end of a solenoid-plunger 132a, which is spring--loaded so as normally to move against the disc, when said disc isturned (with the rod 124) to the start position by movement of the ballhandle 125 to that position, such arrangement providing that the plunger132a will hold the disc, rod and ball handle in their respective startpositions when said parts are manually turned to such position. However,energization of the solenoid 132 will result in retraction of its saidplunger 1320: and thereby release of the disc 130, and thus it will beseen that whenever the solenoid is energized, said disc, the rod 124 andthe ball handle 125 will return to the stop position under the bias ofspring 131.

According to the invention, energization of the solenoid 132 occurs onlyupon closing of a normally closed switch generally designated 134mounted from a bracket 135 affixed to the feed-in side of the top plate11. Said switch incorporates a strip-material sensing arm 13401 which,in its lowered position (in which it is held by the strip materialmoving over same), maintains said switch open. However, should thesupply of the strip material becorne exhausted, the arm 134a raises to aswitchclosing position, whereupon the solenoid 132 is energized andeffects retraction of the solenoid plunger 132a from the notch 131, asresults in the disc, rod and ball handle returning to their respectivestop positions under the bias of the spring 131. In the event no Stripmaterial is running over the switch arm 135 when the ball handle 125 isturned to the start position, said handle will similarly return to itsStop" position under the bias of disc-attached spring 131, since underthis condition the solenoid plunger 132a is in its retracted position inwhich it lacks disc-holding ability.

FIG. 2 also illustrates a preferred feed-in arrangement according towhich the strip material, i.e. the zipper chainfiy strip tape assembly,is guided in its movement toward the strip-material supply sensingswitch 134 by the outer looped end 133 of a guide rod whose inner ormachine end is affixed to the aforesaid mounting block 26. Anotherfeature of convenience is that provided by a catch tray 140 forreceiving the individual zipper lengths of chain and fly tapes severedfrom the continuous chain and fly tape assembly by the aforesaidcutting-off press 30, it being observed that said tray or catch basketis supported beyond the forward or dis charge side of the top plate 11by a rod 141 whose inner end extends over the top plate and is affixedto the blademounting bracket 37.

OPERATION While it is believed that the operation of the apparatus asdescribed in the foregoing will be understood by persons skilled in theparticular art, it is briefly summarized as follows:

With the ball handle 125 in its stop position, one end of anindeterminate length of continuous gapped zipper chain and pluralfly-strip assembly, faced and endwise disposed as illustrated in FIG.11, is threaded through the outer looped end of the guide rod 138, isthence drawn forwardly over the switch 134 which it deenergizes by itsengagement with the switch arm 134a, and thence, by depression of theball handle 28 which raises the hold-down bars 17, 18, is insertedbetween said bars and the guide strip 16 in position such that the chainof zipper or fastener elements FE seat in the guide-strip channel 16a,and further that the fly-strip tapes FT, and FT are folded laterallyoutwardly from the zipper chain ZC proper, as in FIG. 12. Thereupon, theball handle 28 is released, and the hold-down bars thereafter act tohold the chain-fly strip tape assembly in place on the guide strip 16.The extent of the initial advancement of said chain-tape assembly alongthe guideway defined by the guide strip and hold-down bars will be suchas to dispose the working end of the feed finger 42, then in its mostrearward position, in the most advanced zipper gap, into engagement withthe correspondingly most advanced bottom stop BS. However, as previouslyexplained, the aforesaid most rearward position of the feed finger 42will be adjusted in accordance with the length of the closure-fly unitsto be severed and this adjustment is achieved by loosening of thebracket holding screw 58, which releases the bracket 57 from the slideplate 59, and sliding said bracket either back or forward along saidplate as establishes the length of stroke of the feed finger, as willresult in a feed increment of chaintape assembly as in turn will yieldthe desired length of closure-fly unit. Upon the correct position of thebracket 57 having been established, it is held in that position alongthe guide plate 59 by the projection 69 upon retightening of the screw58.

While normally the line of cut made by the cutting-off press 30 isdisposed equidistantly from the ends of each chain gap G presented toit, such is also subject to adjustment, thereby to increase or decreasethe length of the element-free tape extension at the top and/or bottomends of the severed closure-fly units (which the gaps G ultimatelyprovide). This latter adjustment is effected by means of the set screws62, 62a whose turning in opposite directions effects limited adjustmentof the feed- 12 finger mounting bracket 43 with respect to thecarriageactuated shaft 44 to which said bracket is mounted.

Upon the aforesaid preliminary adjustments having been made, theapparatus is now placed in operation simply by manually actuating theball handle 125 through a turn to its start position, i.e. against thepin 127, in which it is held by seating of the spring-biased solenoidplunger 132:: in the notch of the disc 130. As previously explained,turning of the control rod 124 by said ball handle effects engagement ofthe clutch elements 93, 96, whereupon drive is transmitted to theendless sprocket chain 64. Up to this time, the carriage 46 has beenheld stationary in its retracted position by the bias of spring 77acting through rod 74, and the cutting-off press has been maintaineddeactivated by trip cam and its biasing spring 116. However, upon chaindrive being initiated, the carriage 46 is moved forwardly by the chainvia the aforesaid releasable driving connection therebctween, andactuates the feed finger throughout its forward stroke, as results insaid finger advancing the zipper chain-fly strip assembly a distancecorresponding to the length of the fly-closure unit to be severed fromsaid assembly and to a position such that said length to be severed isdisposed just forwardly of the cutting blade 36 of the cutting-off press30.

Upon the carriage 46 arriving at the limit of its forward motion, asdetermined by its engagement with the frontstop pin 54a, its forwardmotion is stopped, whereupon the releasable driving connection betweenchain and carriage gives away without interrupting continuous chaintravel. The carriage is now actuated throughout its back or returntravel, as effects return stroke of the feed finger, by said spring 77acting through the rod 74.

During the course of the return motion of the carriage, the chainattachment a, or 120, which follows the carriage driving attachment71a71b which has just released the carriage, engages the primary clutchrelease arm 118 of the means controlling engagement of the normallydisengaged clutch 89 in the drive to the cutting-off press. Consequentto this engagement, drive to the press is initiated, as results in thepress ram and its anvil 33 moving upwardly from their neutral position(in which the upper edge of said anvil is flush with the top surface ofthe top plate 11FIG. 4) against the lower edge of the pinking, i.e.outing-off, blade 36, thereby to cut off said most forward closure-unitlength of zipper and fiy-strip from the following continuous zipperchain, plural fiy-strip assem- 'bly. Upon one single revolution of thepress cam shaft having been completed, the lock-out pawl 104 willreengage the cam step 105, thereby disengaging the clutch 89 as resultsin the press ram and anvil being again disposed in the neutral position.

The above represents but a single cycle of operation of the hereinapparatus, and it is to be understood that this cycle will be repeatedover and over again until operation of the apparatus is stopped eitherby manually returning the ball handle to its stop position against pin126 or until the supply of zipper-fly strip tape assembly runs out, aswill result in closing of the switch 134 and retraction of the solenoidplunger 132a from its holding engagement with the disc 139.

As many changes could be made in carrying out the above constructionswithout departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended thatall matter contained in the above description or shown in theaccompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for cutting off a succession of trouser-fly closure unitlengths of zipper chain and fly-strips assembled thereto from anindeterminate length of an assembly of continuous gapped zipper chainand continuous fly-strip tapes sewn thereto comprising, in combination:an upright stand including a top plate; zipper-chain guide and holddownmeans for guiding said gapped zipper chain and flystrip tape assembly ina straight-line path of motion which extends generally across the uppersurface of said top plate; a cutting-off means mounted to said top plateand being disposed astride said path of motion and in position as tosever individual closure-unit lengths of zipper chain and fly stripssewn thereto from the advancing end portion of said assembly travelingthereunder; means for intermittently feeding said gapped zipper chainand fly-strip assembly along said path of motion in increments of lengthcorresponding to the length of the trouser-fly closure units beingproduced at any given time, said means including a reciprocatory feedfinger mounted above said path of motion and being biased for movementinto the gaps of the continuous zipper chain of the assembly as saidgaps are successively disposed thereunder responsive to movement of saidassembly along said path of motion and being operative on each forwardstroke to abut the rearward closed end of each next forwardly disposedclosure-unit length of zipper chain and thereupon to push the same andthereby said chain and fiy-strip tape assembly forwardly a distancecorresponding to the length of said stroke, and means for impartingreciprocatory motion to said finger including a powered endless chainand means for translating chain travel in uniform direction into forwardand re turn motion of said finger; and means for translating chaintravel as aforesaid into properly timed operation of said cutting-offmeans.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for translatingchain travel in uniform direction into forward and return motion of saidfinger also includes a reciprocatory carriage to which said finger ismounted, and a releasable driving connection between said endless chainand carriage, said connection being effective to drivingly connect thechain to the carriage upon the latter being disposed in a first stopposition as in turn disposes the finger at the beginning of itsassembly-feeding stroke and to disengage the chain from the carriageupon said carriage arriving at a second stop position as in turndisposes the feed finger at the end of its assembly-feeding stroke.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, and further including means energizedby the motion of the carriage when it is so connected to said drivingchain and being operative upon release of said driving connection foreffecting return travel of the carriage to its first position andthereby mo tion of the feed finger throughout its rearward stroke.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2, including means for pre-setting saidfirst position of the carriage longitudinally along said path of motionthereby to adjust the extent of travel of the carriage and the length ofthe stroke of the feed finger to the length of the trouser-fly closureunit to be severed.

5. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said releasable drivingconnection comprises projecting means on the chain and retractible meanson the carriage normally providing an abutment engageable by saidprojecting means but which retracts to an inactive position whenforcibly pressed against by said projecting means, as occurs when saidcarriage arrives at said second stop position.

6. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said carriage has upwardlyopen channel configuration and said driving chain runs through thechannel thereof, and wherein said releasable driving connectioncomprises laterally projecting attachments on the chain and retractiblemeans mounted on said carriage in position to extend inwardly into saidchannel and thereby into the path of motion of said projecting means,said retractible means normally providing an abutment against which saidprojecting means engages and thereby transmits drive to the carriagefrom the chain but being capable of retracting and thereby releasing thechain from the carriage when forcibly pressed against by said projectingmeans, as occurs when said carriage arrives at its said second stopposition.

'7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a common power source isdrivingly connected to said chain and said cuttingcff means byindividual drive connections each including a normally disengagedclutch, wherein the clutch in the drive connection to said chain ismanually engageable, and wherein the drive conection to the cuttingoffmeans includes a normally inactive means for engaging the clutch in thedriving connection thereto and said chain mounts means responsive tochain travel for rendering said last means active.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cuttingoff meanscomprises a cutting-off press having a frame mounted in upside downrelation to the under side of the top plate, a reciprocatory ram carriedby said frame, a cutting anvil actuable by said ram upwardly from anddownwardly to a neutral position in which its working end is flush withthe upper surface of said top plate, and a cutting blade fixedly mountedto the top plate above the same and in position as to be struck by saidcutting anvil during the course of its upward movement.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the endless chain and themeans for translating chain travel in uniform direction into forward andreturn motion of the feed finger and into properly timed actuation ofsaid cutting-off means are mounted to and contained within the stand,and wherein said cutting-off means comprises a cutting-off press securedin upside down relation to the under face of the top plate of said standand including a reciprocatory ram, a cutting anvil actuable by said ramupwardly from and downwardly to a neutral position in which its workingend is fiush with the upper surface of said top plate, and a cuttingblade disposed above and fixedly mounted to the top plate in position asto be struck by said cutting anvil during the course of its upwardmovement, the construction and arrangement being such that the pressproper is also contained within the stand.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,931,760 10/1933Her-mansdorger 83-268 2,779,590 1/1957 Seastrom 83-278 WILLIAM W. DYER,111., Primary Examiner.

L. TAYLOR, Assistant Examiner.

1. APPARATUS FOR CUTTING OFF A SUCCESSION OF TROUSER-FLY CLOSURE UNITSLENGTHS OF ZIPPER CHAIN AND FLY-STRIPS ASSEMBLED THERETO FROM ANINDETERMINATE LENGTH OF AN ASSEMBLY OF CONTINUOUS GAPPED ZIPPER CHAINAND CONTINUOUS FLY-STRIP TAPES SEWN THERETO COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION:AN UPRIGHT STAND INCLUDING A TOP PLATE; ZIPPER-CHAIN GUIDE AND HOLDDOWNMEANS FOR GUIDING SAID GAPPED ZIPPER CHAIN AND FLYSTRIP TAPE ASSEMBLY INA STRAIGHT-LINE PATH OF MOTION WHICH EXTENDS GENERALLY ACROSS THE UPPERSURFACE OF SAID TOP PLATE; A CUTTING-OFF MEANS MOUNTED TO SAID TOP PLATEAND BEING DISPOSED ASTRIDE SAID PATH OF MOTION AND IN POSITION AS TOSEVER INDIVIDUAL CLOSURE-UNIT LENGTHS OF ZIPPER CHAIN AND FLY STRIPSSEWN THERETO FROM THE ADVANCING END PORTION OF SAID ASSEMBLY TRAVELINGTHEREUNDER; MEANS FOR INTERMITTENTLY FEEDING SAID GAPPED ZIPPER CHAINAND FLY-STRIP ASSEMBLY ALONG SAID PATH OF MOTION IN INCREMENTS OF LENGTHCORRESPONDING TO THE LENGTH OF THE TROUSER-FLY CLOSURE UNITS BEINGPRODUCED AT ANY GIVEN TIME, SAID MEANS INCLUDING A RECIPROCATORY FEEDFINGER MOUNTED ABOVE SAID PATH OF MOTION AND BEING BIASED FOR MOVEMENTINTO THE GAPS OF THE CONTINUOUS ZIPPER CHAIN OF THE ASSEMBLY AS SAIDGAPS ARE SUCCESSIVELY DISPOSED THEREUNDER RESPONSIVE TO MOVEMENT OF SAIDASSEMBLY ALONG SAID PATH OF MOTION AND BEING OPERATIVE ON EACH FORWARDSTROKE TO ABUT THE REARWARD CLOSED END OF EACH NEXT FORWARDLY DISPOSEDCLOSURE-UNIT LENGTH OF ZIPPER CHAIN AND THEREUPON TO PUSH THE SAME ANDTHEREBY SAID CHAIN AND FLY-STRIP TAPE ASSEMBLY FORWARDLY A DISTANCECORRESPONDING TO THE LENGTH OF SAID STROKE, AND MEANS FOR IMPARTINGRECIPROCATORY MOTION TO SAID FINGER INCLUDING A POWERED ENDLESS CHAINAND MEANS FOR TRANSLATING CHAIN TRAVEL IN UNIFORM DIRECTION INTO FORWARDAND RETURN MOTION OF SAID FINGER; AND MEANS FOR TRANSLATING CHAIN TRAVELAS AFORESAID INTO PROPERLY TIMED OPERATION OF SAID CUTTING-OFF MEANS.